8 Arrested In Four-county Drug Raid Bust Was Result Of Two Years Of Surveillance Police

March 26, 1985|by WEALTHY J. KORTZ, The Morning Call

Two years of court-sanctioned electronic surveillance involving methamphetamine traffic in eastern Pennsylvania resulted in the arrest by state police Sunday of eight persons.

Simultaneous police raids were conducted in Monroe, Lackawanna and Bucks counties and Philadelphia. Police seized 7 pounds of unprocessed "rock" methamphetamine valued at $700,000 in Bensalem Township, Bucks County. During the arrests, five of which were in Monroe, police also seized a number of rifles, handguns, a sword, ammunition, several vehicles and about $18,000 in cash.

One incident in Marshalls Creek, Monroe County, marred an otherwise flawless raid plan when eight armed police kicked in a door at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Gonzalez. The home targeted for the raid was to the rear of the Gonzalez home.

Gonzalez complained that when police entered they shoved a shotgun into his young son's back and shoved a 13-year-old boy who was visiting against a wall. They also entered a bathroom where his 14-year-old daughter was taking a shower.

Police said yesterday that damage to a chain link fence outside the Gonzalez property and damaged doors will be repaired by the state. Gonzalez says he plans to bring charges against police.

Arrested in the raids from Monroe were: Susan Kitchener, 34 and Michael Donahue, 26, both of the Pocono Country Place development in Tobyhanna; Martin Moore, 31, Marshalls Creek, who lived to the rear of the Gonzalez home; Kathleen B. Wible, 39, and James Riffert, 55, both of 10 Holly Forrest Drive in Mount Pocono.

All eight suspects were charged with conspiracy to possess a controlled substance, conspiracy to possess a controlled substance to deliver and conspiracy to deliver a controlled substance.

Riffert was committed to Monroe County Jail in lieu of $500,000 bail; Cudo to Lackawanna County Jail in lieu of $250,000; Reeves, Kitchner, Donahue, Wible and Inadi were committed to Monroe County Jail in default of $125,000 bail each, and Moore to the Monroe jail in default of $100,000 bail.

Kitchner and Donahue, formerly of Philadelphia, had each been sentenced to 11 1/2 to 23 months in Monroe County Jail and fined $500 on Sept. 19, 1984, in Monroe County Court for criminal conspiracy, possession of a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver. Both appealed the sentences and were free on bail.

Police said one of those arrested was holding a handgun when he was taken into custody. They said the gun was not being pointed at anyone and declined to identify which suspect had the gun.

Permission for the wire tapping was given by state Superior Court Judge Patrick Tamilia of Pittsburgh. The electronic surveillance was supervised by District Attorneys James F. Marsh, Monroe, and Brenden Vanston, Wyoming.

Lt. William Mc Glynn, commander of state police Troop P in Wyoming, and Lt. John Cherba, Troop N., Hazleton, in a press conference yesterday at the state police barracks in Swiftwater, said that the wire tapping was necessary to gain evidence that the individuals arrested in the raids were major dealers in speed.

"No street sales were made by these people. They had a very sophisticated operation and were considered very dangerous. The homes they occupied were almost impossible for a continued manual surveillance because they used homes in very isolated areas," McGlynn said. He said the two-year investigation began in Tunkhannock and involved a level of people dealing in the drug who could be caught only through wire tapping.

The higher bail for Riffert, arrested in Mount Pocono, was set because Riffert was a main target, police said.

McGlynn said there is, "A mountain of work to do with the district attorneys to sift out everything." He said the investigation is not complete and other arrests are anticipated. He said police believe the arrests cut into a well-organized drug dealing operation on which people make their living.

Lt. Cherba, explaining the incident at the Gonzalez home, said police received incorrect information and were unaware that Martin Moore actually lived to the rear of the Gonzalez home. The two dwellings share a driveway.

"When we enter homes during raids we always find weapons and never know who all may be inside the home. A 14-year-old boy can shoot a gun just as well as an adult," Cherba said.

Cherba said police apologized to the Gonzalez family and agreed to pay for damages.

Major Roy Titler, state police area II commander, said that state police in northeastern Pennsylvania and state police strike force members were assisted by Mount Pocono, Coolbaugh and Tobyhanna Township police departments in Monroe County and the Waverly police department, Lackawanna County, during the investigations.